Organization's History

Tree House Humane Society was founded in 1971, when a group of families in the Chicagoland area united to form an organized network of animal welfare agents. The network grew rapidly, and by 1975 the founders legally incorporated as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, and purchased the property at 1212 West Carmen Avenue . A national audience was developed through educational brochures and pamphlets that helped to explain dog and cat behavior.
Tree House gained a reputation for offering valuable advice on animal healthcare, lost pets, and household dangers.
In 1989, we expanded the physical structure of the facility, almost doubling the size of the shelter to continually accept and care for more stray cats. In 2000, we remodeled our attic to make a Socialization Room for feral cats, and we were also named First Place winners of the Humane Association Award offered by the Chicago Veterinary Medicine Association.

In 2007, we acquired a new building in the Bucktown neighborhood, which houses our new, state-of-the-art, high-volume, low-cost Spay/Neuter Clinic. The new clinic opened in the Spring of 2009. In 2010, Tree House performed nearly 4,000 spay/neuter surgeries in the new Clinic, and we opened our Wellness Clinic on Mondays to provide necessary vaccinations and treatments for the pets of low-income families.

Tree House Humane Society is the largest cageless, no-kill shelter for injured, sick and abandoned cats in the Chicagoland area. Since its founding Tree House has found homes for more than 16,000 "residents." In addition to our focus on the rehabilitation and adoption of stray cats, we offer many other valuable programs and services, including our Free Spay/Neuter Program, Pet Loss Grief Support Group, Humane Investigations Team, Youth Volunteer Program, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Behavior Hotline, Pet Food Pantry, and Education Outreach Program.

Tree House is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, and all donations are fully tax-deductible. We do not accept any federal or state funding. Almost all of our support comes from concerned and involved individuals like you.